50 Amp Range Cord

J

Jimmy7

Senior Member
Location
Boston, MA
Occupation
Electrician
I noticed a 50 amp range cord package states it has 2-#6 and 2 -#8. I’m guessing the two #8 will be the neutral and the ground. Is this because the neutral will only carry the unbalanced load?
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2420.jpeg
    IMG_2420.jpeg
    221.2 KB · Views: 8
Jimmy7 said:
I noticed a 50 amp range cord package states it has 2-#6 and 2 -#8. I’m guessing the two #8 will be the neutral and the ground. Is this because the neutral will only carry the unbalanced load?
Click to expand...
Yes. I will pull a reduced neutral for a range or dryer when the wiring method is conduit - although I thought it wasn't technically allowed to reduce the neutral in a branch circuit?
 
What's the temperature rating of the cord? If it's 75° C then the neutral is rated for the full 50 amps.
 
infinity said:
The neutral load on a range is pretty low so it will never carry much current.
Click to expand...
reality for most of them is a 14 AWG neutral would never be overloaded.

If it weren't for 120 volt lamp in the oven maybe they would never even had a need for a neutral to begin with? They also used 120 volts for clocks and controls and often still do but certainly could have gone with 208-240 rated ones.
 
kwired said:
reality for most of them is a 14 AWG neutral would never be overloaded.

If it weren't for 120 volt lamp in the oven maybe they would never even had a need for a neutral to begin with? They also used 120 volts for clocks and controls and often still do but certainly could have gone with 208-240 rated ones.
Click to expand...
I have said this before, but this neutral thing drives me more and more crazy. I'd like to see the pile of copper wasted to supply oversized neutrals , or neutrals at all for that matter when a thing could easily be designed to not need it at all. My main client has a lot of 10 KW autoclaves, three phase 5 wire, neutral for the pilot light 🤬🤬
 
electrofelon said:
Yes. I will pull a reduced neutral for a range or dryer when the wiring method is conduit - although I thought it wasn't technically allowed to reduce the neutral in a branch circuit?
Click to expand...
Where does it state that that is allowed? Never mind the range must be 83/4 kw or more
 
I thought I posted this. It is allowed if the range is 8 3/4 kw or more

Exception No. 2:
The neutral conductor of a 3-wire branch circuit supplying a household electric range, a wall-mounted oven, or a counter-mounted cooking unit shall be permitted to be smaller than the ungrounded conductors where the maximum demand of a range of 83⁄4 kW or more rating has been calculated according to Column C of Table 220.55, but such conductor shall have an ampacity of not less than 70 percent of the branch-circuit rating and shall not be smaller than 10 AWG.
Click to expand...
 
Dennis Alwon said:
That is a surprise to me. Do you know this for a fact?
Click to expand...
I can't take you to a specific model, but we were having this argument for the umpteenth time 6 months to a year ago and somebody pointed out that oven elements of some models will use L-N for more consistent low heat sometimes. 1/2 the current 1/4 the power and all that

Stovetop elements used to do this but they are obvious to see when they do, they have 4 ends instead of 2 and pushbuttons instead of a knob, probably from our grandparents' era by now.
 
Here’s the schematic on one, most of the newer ones probably use infinite electronic controls, and like new dryers, probably don’t even need a neutral anymore.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_2649.png
    IMG_2649.png
    113.6 KB · Views: 12
electrofelon said:
although I thought it wasn't technically allowed to reduce the neutral in a branch circuit?
Click to expand...
It needs sized to the connected load. On a range I have run 10 AWG though I really think 12 or even 14 likely would handle the load for most modern ranges.

I have run into some basic ranges that have standard three wire terminal block but no internal conductors landed on the neutral, just the standard bonding strap that is factory fitted. Did conversion from gas to electric ranges in about 30 unit apartment complex one time that had such units. Of course had to run 4 wire receptacles to more less be "standard" just in case they ever bring in with a unit that uses a neutral in the future, then un-bond every unit while connecting the cord to it leaving a dead ended neutral conductor in each unit.

There is minimum size rules for neutrals in feeders, basically no smaller than the minimum required EGC but I see no similar rule for branch circuits
 
I grew up in a house with the GE push-button cook-top. I think the neutral was used in certain settings.

Each eye had two elements, and various parallel and series configurations gave different heat levels.

1736437255107.jpeg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top